[U-Boot-Users] Port U-Boot to SBC-2410X

[U-Boot-Users] Port U-Boot to SBC-2410X

[luo.jinhua]

hi, all.

SBC-2410X is a board based on SAMSUNG S3C2410 made by friendly-arm, which is
similiar to smdk2410. Now, I succeed to port U-Boot to SBC-2410X. 

In addition to write the new hardware-specific configurations for SBC-2410X
according to steps from U-Boot's README, I make U-Boot's nand subsystem work
on SBC-2410X and add to hush cmdline-editing (but AUTO_COMPLETE cannot work to
go with it yet). 

About bugs of NAND subsystem 
=============================
The original nand subsystem lacks flash_chip-specific functions like NF_Conf
and the related enum variable NFCE_STATE for each board, right? Though some
boards put them in one sole head file in their board directory, it seems
broken because the compilation always shows errors.

Take VCMA9 board for example.
Though VCMA9 defines NFCE_STATE, NF_Cmd etc in "board/mpl/vcma9/vcma9.h", but
when compiling arm-linux-gcc will complains:
In file included from /root/u-boot-1.1.3/include/config.h:2,
                 from /root/u-boot-1.1.3/include/common.h:35,
                 from cmd_nand.c:11:
/root/u-boot-1.1.3/include/configs/VCMA9.h:280:1: warning: this is the
location of the previous definition
cmd_nand.c: In function `NanD_WaitReady':
cmd_nand.c:557: warning: implicit declaration of function `NF_WaitRB'
cmd_nand.c: In function `NanD_Command':
cmd_nand.c:572: warning: implicit declaration of function `NF_Cmd'
cmd_nand.c:566: warning: unused variable `nandptr'
cmd_nand.c: In function `NanD_Address':
cmd_nand.c:614: warning: implicit declaration of function `NF_Addr'
cmd_nand.c: In function `NanD_IdentChip':
cmd_nand.c:645: warning: implicit declaration of function `NF_SetCE'
cmd_nand.c:645: error: `NFCE_LOW' undeclared (first use in this function)
cmd_nand.c:645: error: (Each undeclared identifier is reported only once
cmd_nand.c:645: error: for each function it appears in.)
cmd_nand.c:652: error: `NFCE_HIGH' undeclared (first use in this function)
cmd_nand.c:671: warning: implicit declaration of function `NF_Read'
cmd_nand.c: In function `NanD_ReadBuf':
cmd_nand.c:812: warning: unused variable `nandptr'
cmd_nand.c: In function `nand_read_ecc':
cmd_nand.c:915: error: `NFCE_LOW' undeclared (first use in this function)
cmd_nand.c:1029: error: `NFCE_HIGH' undeclared (first use in this function)
cmd_nand.c: In function `nand_write_page':
cmd_nand.c:1136: warning: implicit declaration of function `NF_Write'
cmd_nand.c:1047: warning: unused variable `nandptr'
cmd_nand.c: In function `nand_write_ecc':
cmd_nand.c:1278: error: `NFCE_LOW' undeclared (first use in this function)
cmd_nand.c:1324: error: `NFCE_HIGH' undeclared (first use in this function)
cmd_nand.c: In function `nand_read_oob':
cmd_nand.c:1356: error: `NFCE_LOW' undeclared (first use in this function)
cmd_nand.c:1385: error: `NFCE_HIGH' undeclared (first use in this function)
cmd_nand.c: In function `nand_write_oob':
cmd_nand.c:1407: error: `NFCE_LOW' undeclared (first use in this function)
cmd_nand.c:1461: error: `NFCE_HIGH' undeclared (first use in this function)
cmd_nand.c:1399: warning: unused variable `nandptr'
cmd_nand.c: In function `nand_erase':
cmd_nand.c:1530: error: `NFCE_LOW' undeclared (first use in this function)
cmd_nand.c:1609: error: `NFCE_HIGH' undeclared (first use in this function)
make[1]: *** [cmd_nand.o] Error 1
make[1]: Leaving directory `/root/u-boot-1.1.3/common'
make: *** [common/libcommon.a] Error 2

I finally put them in "include/linux/mtd/nand.h", and it works. 

cmdline editing
==================
Though U-Boot brings in hush, it lacks cmdline-editing. That is inconvenient.
I pick codes heavily borrowed from vivi bootloader and integrate them into
U-Boot. Now, the hush can locate the history command and acts like xterm.

I would like to pack the new board codes and nand subsystem fixes as one
patch, while the cmdline-editing codes (in "common/main.c") is the other. Is
this ok?



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[U-Boot-Users] Port U-Boot to SBC-2410X

[Wolfgang Denk]

In message <20050831135322.M7728@gd-linux.com> you wrote:
> 
> SBC-2410X is a board based on SAMSUNG S3C2410 made by friendly-arm, which is
> similiar to smdk2410. Now, I succeed to port U-Boot to SBC-2410X. 

Congrats.

> In addition to write the new hardware-specific configurations for SBC-2410X
> according to steps from U-Boot's README, I make U-Boot's nand subsystem work

Please note that a  complete  rewrite  of  the  NAND  code  has  been
discussed  several  times  before.  There  is  some  work in progress
(performed  by  Ladislav  Michl   <ladis@linux-mips.org>)   whic   is
available  in  the  "testing-NAND"  branch  of  the git repository at
source.denx.net.

It makes IMHO littel sense to add patches to  the  old  code.  Please
help improving / fixing the rewqrite instead.

> on SBC-2410X and add to hush cmdline-editing (but AUTO_COMPLETE cannot work to
> go with it yet). 

Ummm.. why only  to  the  hush  shell  and  not  as  a  more  general
implementation for the simple command interpreter, too?

> I pick codes heavily borrowed from vivi bootloader and integrate them into
> U-Boot. Now, the hush can locate the history command and acts like xterm.

Acts like xterm? This makes zero sense  to  me.  An  xterm  does  not
provide  any  command  line  interface  at all. It is just a terminal
emulator in which you can run certain applications...

> I would like to pack the new board codes and nand subsystem fixes as one
> patch, while the cmdline-editing codes (in "common/main.c") is the other. Is
> this ok?

Make this 3 parts as required by the README: split unrelated  changes
into  separate  commits:  one for your new baord support, one for the
command line extension, and one (eventually) for  the  NAND  (if  you
still  want  to submit it, but chances that it will get accepted with
the old code are epsilon).

Best regards,

Wolfgang Denk

-- 
Software Engineering:  Embedded and Realtime Systems,  Embedded Linux
Phone: (+49)-8142-66989-10 Fax: (+49)-8142-66989-80 Email: wd at denx.de
Genitiv ins Wasser, weil's Dativ ist!

[U-Boot-Users] NAND support [was: Port U-Boot to SBC-2410X]

[Ladislav Michl]

On Wed, Aug 31, 2005 at 05:19:11PM +0200, Wolfgang Denk wrote:
> Please note that a  complete  rewrite  of  the  NAND  code  has  been
> discussed  several  times  before.  There  is  some  work in progress
> (performed  by  Ladislav  Michl   <ladis@linux-mips.org>)   whic   is
> available  in  the  "testing-NAND"  branch  of  the git repository at
> source.denx.net.

Wolfgang,

I promised you to send update over a weekend, but didn't tell you which
one ;-). Although normaly I do not have problems explaining my boss why
I'm working on something we do not necessarily need (nice clean code :)),
he has not so good understanding when I'm doing it when I should hunt
more important bugs elsewhere. My apologies to everyone...

> It makes IMHO littel sense to add patches to  the  old  code.  Please
> help improving / fixing the rewqrite instead.

Patch against "testing-NAND" branch can be found here:
ftp://ftp.linux-mips.org/pub/linux/mips/people/ladis/u-boot/u-boot-nand.diff
It also contains support for new board NetStar (it is not meant to be
included - I want to maintain it outside U-Boot, but I'd agree to put it
into "testing-NAND" branch for reference), which shows sample
implementation. Note that you have to define CONFIG_NEW_NAND_CODE to
actually compile and use new code. Original <linux/mtd/nand.h> was moved
to <linux/mtd/nand_old.h> and so has to be fixed all unconverted boards
includes (I do not have energy to do it now and test if they still compiles).
Ideally old and new code should be able to coexist. Please let me know if you
experience any problems or if you want me to split patch into smaller
chunks.

File list:
drivers/nand/*			- Linux MTD
include/linux/mtd/*		- MTD headers
include/nand.h			- compat stuff
common/cmd_nand_new.c		- user command interface to Linux MTD (*)
fs/jffs2/jffs2_nand_1pass.c
fs/jffs2/jffs2_nand_private.h	- somewhat faster jffs2 file loader (*)

(*) - needs discussion and improvements, it's not finished.

Best regards,
	ladis

[U-Boot-Users] NAND support [was: Port U-Boot to SBC-2410X]

[Wolfgang Denk]

Dear Ladislav,

in message <20050831212122.GA32559@orphique> you wrote:
> 
> I promised you to send update over a weekend, but didn't tell you which
> one ;-). Although normaly I do not have problems explaining my boss why

I know how this goes. Been there before. Can't remember when for  the
first time :-(

> Patch against "testing-NAND" branch can be found here:
> ftp://ftp.linux-mips.org/pub/linux/mips/people/ladis/u-boot/u-boot-nand.diff

Can you please either send this by e-mail, or put it on a server that
actually works?

> It also contains support for new board NetStar (it is not meant to be
> included - I want to maintain it outside U-Boot, but I'd agree to put it
> into "testing-NAND" branch for reference), which shows sample

If I add it to "testing-NAND" (and it makes a lot of sense if this is
a working example) then it will go more or  less  automagically  into
the main tree as soon as I merge branches. Is this acceptable to you?

> implementation. Note that you have to define CONFIG_NEW_NAND_CODE to
> actually compile and use new code. Original <linux/mtd/nand.h> was moved
> to <linux/mtd/nand_old.h> and so has to be fixed all unconverted boards
> includes (I do not have energy to do it now and test if they still compiles).

We will have to go through this when switching the code base.

> Ideally old and new code should be able to coexist. Please let me know if you

But only one version shall be in the main branch at a time, i. e. one
day the new code will replace the old one, and then all  boards  will
need to be converted.

> experience any problems or if you want me to split patch into smaller
> chunks.

Will do when I can lay my hands on the patch; keep  getting  timeouts
only :-(

> (*) - needs discussion and improvements, it's not finished.

Thanks for providing a sound base for this discussion.

Best regards,

Wolfgang Denk

-- 
Software Engineering:  Embedded and Realtime Systems,  Embedded Linux
Phone: (+49)-8142-66989-10 Fax: (+49)-8142-66989-80 Email: wd at denx.de
One difference between a man and a machine is that a machine is quiet
when well oiled.

[U-Boot-Users] NAND support [was: Port U-Boot to SBC-2410X]

[Ladislav Michl]

On Thu, Sep 01, 2005 at 01:05:54AM +0200, Wolfgang Denk wrote:
> > Patch against "testing-NAND" branch can be found here:
> > ftp://ftp.linux-mips.org/pub/linux/mips/people/ladis/u-boot/u-boot-nand.diff
> 
> Can you please either send this by e-mail, or put it on a server that
> actually works?

Hmm, something strange had happened, that server is very stable,
backuped with diesel generator... Well, it works now. You might be
interested in other patches in u-boot directory, all of them should be
in your queue anyway.

> > It also contains support for new board NetStar (it is not meant to be
> > included - I want to maintain it outside U-Boot, but I'd agree to put it
> > into "testing-NAND" branch for reference), which shows sample
> 
> If I add it to "testing-NAND" (and it makes a lot of sense if this is
> a working example) then it will go more or  less  automagically  into
> the main tree as soon as I merge branches. Is this acceptable to you?

Yes it is, but for sure I'll explain why I didn't want it to be accepted
into mainline. Code in board/netstar runs only on one of many CPUs found
in NetStar PBX. It is hardly possible to write code which will make that
piece of hw act like PBX without hardware documentation and for other
applications it is damn expensive toy. That's why I think there is no use
of it for others, more boards means more worries when maintaining code
and (nothing personal) patch acceptance speed makes it uninteresting for
me. Moreover I basicaly made U-Boot act as second stage loader to allow
safe upgrades, because one day I'd like to use yaffs2 filesystem and
U-Boot currently doesn't support that. Thus I do not see any single
advantage of integrating netstar code into mainline. Of course patch
will be still avaible to conform with GPL.

> We will have to go through this when switching the code base.
> 
> > Ideally old and new code should be able to coexist. Please let me know if you
> 
> But only one version shall be in the main branch at a time, i. e. one
> day the new code will replace the old one, and then all  boards  will
> need to be converted.

Sure. My point was to allow incremental conversion, without breaking
support for yet unconverted boards.

Best regards,
	ladis

[U-Boot-Users] Port U-Boot to SBC-2410X

[luo.jinhua]

Thank for your reply. 

I am sorry that I make some confusion between "xterm" and "shell" (By the way,
my english is so poor). In fact, hush in U-Boot calls function "readline"
(like that bash may use GNU readline library) to handle I/O and implement
terminal-extension, right? While terminal (usually serial driver in U-Boot) is
a minimal subset to drive I/O devices, readline can do more like command
history expansion and cmdline editing. My patch just modifys "readline"
function to use vivi's extension codes, which also means that it just consider
one line not a complete hush sentence (like "if...then...fi") as one history
item. However, I think, it is useful enough.

About the nand subsystem, I am glad to hear that there exists one fresh driver
branch. It makes sense to every user, I think. Because nor flash always works
as BOOT rom, while nand flash always works as DATA rom. In my embedded
project, I cannot do anything without a usable nand driver because the nor
flash chip is 1MB while the nand flash chip is 64MB on my board. Where to
place my kernel and the huge root filesystem? :-)

I will submit the three patches soon.

Best regards,

luo.jinhua